Snapped in action during sea trials
all the gear was in front of them, which was too much
for one person.
The new concept was to separate the important
functions and with 10m to play with they had room
to do that. The result is four distinct functions. The
helmsman is supported by a 12in Raymarine multifunction display and has autopilot available. The for'ard
port side station is set up for navigation with a 14in
Raymarine MFD.
Behind that station is the comms station, which
The additional length, beam
and weight has proven its worth
… her stability instilled almost
immediate trust and confidence
has three ICOM VHF radios (one for the Coastguard
working channel, one for channel 16 and the other for
boat-to-boat comms when they have a vessel in tow).
The Raymarine MFDs are linked to a data screen at
the comms station so all the information that might be
needed is available. The starboard-side rear station has
a 14in Raymarine MFD available for radar support/
collision avoidance and is a backup in the event of the
for'ard station failing.
The dual-range capability of the 4kW Raymarine
VIP.WB13
screen and a well deck for'ard, but both were design
issues and were flagged as not great on the Whakatane
river bar.
They trialled both options with other units and
outboard power stood out as being the most suitable for
their needs, particularly because of its acceleration from
standstill, which was is a must for the river bar.
From there the basic design was refined with help from
Naiad. Out went the reverse sheer screen (a couple of
timely incidents in the United States proved to the project
team that it would not be a good idea) and in went a
conventional aft-raked screen. For added assurance they
increased the specification of the glass to 10mm.
The well deck was done away with, as was the rear
cabin bulkhead, so they were left with an open cabin
arrangement. As the vessel was being stored in a shed
there was no need for a lock-up cabin, and the absence
of a rear bulkhead improved communication with people
on the rear deck and enhanced their safety accordingly.
The initial engine choice for the Whakatane Rescue
II was twin V8 outboards, but during the design phase
they learnt that 300hp V6 outboards would be available.
The weight difference was significant and the V6s were
chosen. The existing vessel was powered by twin fourstroke 200hp outboards which had never missed a beat,
so the team members were comfortable specifying
outboards without any deep consideration of other types
of motive power.
Getting the workspace right was the greatest challenge.
Typically, one person had to deal with navigation,
collision avoidance, and communications, simply because
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